Week 3 | Chris

  Through most of my life I've been obedient to any authority figure.  When I was a teenager I had just a few discrepancies and minor conflicts with my parents, but overall I was living a very disciplined life.  But there was always one authority that I struggled with.. God.  Although I lived a very "Christian" lifestyle, my  closeness to God was inhibited by a lack of so called "fear of authority".  I never had the urgency to be obedient as long as nothing was going wrong.  God blessed me with such a great family and very supportive parents.  I know that all people that hold authority are Gods servants, and my parents definitely served him.  In college I really lost my obedience with drinking and partying really hard.  I've done some very un-godly things and still do today, which is very sad to admit.  I realize now, that the people who I sought as an authoritative figure in college wasn't the best person to follow and be like.  But as a freshman in college, I was blinded by temptation and insignificant gains.  It wasn't until I went back home to visit my parents, and break to them that I wasn't doing good in school, that I really felt authority pushing at my belt.  My parents refused to pay for anymore of my school and if I had to drop out they were fine with it.  In the end, I had a huge breakthrough and started doing well in school and even started looking at different churches (at this point I haven't been to a church in about 3 years).  I just really admire my Mom, not only as an authoritative figure, but a follower of God.  She obeys my dad with every decision he makes, even if she doesn't agree.  It just reminds me of what the reading said about the Husband being the delegated authority of God and the wife the representative of the church.

  What was really hard for me to take in from the reading was all the people who didn't seem to be God's servants but were in very important positions in society.  I really need clarification on the straight forwardness of what the bible says.  In the reading it said that if we were to follow someone in an authoritative position and follow them to wrong places, the fault wouldn't be ours, but the authoritative person's.  To me, this really doesn't make sense..  Like the saying "if i jump off a bridge, would you follow me?", I feel like the follower should have a certain degree of decision and freewill against authoritative figures.  Maybe I didn't read something all the way, but I'm really confused about this.  I agree that God put authorities in places for a reason, but to me.. all them aren't the 100% definition of "Godly".  I always acknowledged authority, but always had my own sense of mind and made the final say in what was right.  With this in mind, I should really focus on following Gods authority in the world, the family and in the church.  I have to trust that God will do his work with the authoritative figures in these places and build a christ-like relationship with each of them.  I really need to be obedient in my mind, so that my body can follow through.  DT training is really setting my brain up for a christ centered life.  And now that I'm graduating and starting to work, I feel my life is going to take a huge turn to the best.